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Montreal man who attacked 10-year-old girl declared a 'high-risk accused'

With the designation, it will be more difficult for Tanvir Singh to obtain his release from the Philippe Pinel Institute.

An exterior view of the Philippe-Pinel Institute, a psychiatric hospital in Montreal.
An exterior view of the Philippe-Pinel Institute, a psychiatric hospital in Montreal. Photo by Dario Ayala /Montreal Gazette files

Tanvir Singh, the man who randomly attacked a 10-year-old girl in Pointe-aux-Trembles last year, can be kept at the Philippe Pinel Institute indefinitely.

According to reports by several media, including the Journal de Montréal, Quebec Court Judge Alexandre Dalmau made the decision during a hearing held at the Montreal courthouse on Tuesday.

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In July, Singh, 21, of Anjou, was declared not criminally responsible for his actions on March 14, when he attacked the girl. He was found to have been suffering from a mental disorder at the time. During the same hearing last summer, prosecutor Annabelle Sheppard asked that Singh undergo another evaluation to determine if he could be declared a “high-risk accused” as defined by the Criminal Code.

The girl’s identity is protected by a standard publication ban.

On Tuesday, Dalmau agreed to the designation for Singh after his defence lawyer Mileva Camiré decided to no longer challenge it. With the designation, it will be more difficult for Singh to obtain a release from the institute from a tribunal composed of mental health experts.

A psychiatrist who evaluated Singh reported that he wanted to assault a former manager that day, but was unsuccessful. He ended up attacking the girl because she smiled at him when their paths crossed that day. Singh also told the psychiatrist that voices in his head convinced him to attack the girl.

The child was walking along Tricentenaire Blvd. near Victoria St. with another young girl when she was assaulted. Singh struck her repeatedly on the head and then dragged her for a short distance before bystanders intervened and called 911.

The girl was hospitalized for days and was treated for a concussion and several lacerations.